The checkpoint ahead had stopped quite a few people. Something seemed to be causing a standoff. On this side were many bailiffs and some soldiers.

The people who had been stopped were facing directly toward Zhao Hanzhang and her group. They were the first to spot Zhao Hanzhang riding her large horse. Seeing the orderly cavalry behind her, they froze for a moment before reacting, immediately turning around and pulling their carts and horses to flee.

The people behind them also saw, and whether carrying shoulder poles, pushing handcarts, or driving ox carts, mule carts, donkey carts, or horse carts, they all turned around in panic to run back.

Zhao Hanzhang raised an eyebrow slightly. Before she could react, the soldiers and bailiffs blocking the checkpoint with their backs to them turned their heads, saw them, and were also startled. They immediately abandoned the checkpoint, jumped over the barrier, and fled in panic as well.

Zhao Hanzhang: …

She fell silent for a moment, then very decisively pointed forward with two fingers and ordered, “Stop them, but don’t injure anyone!”

Zhao Erlang and Qiu Wu heard the command and immediately led their men to charge out like wolves and tigers. They had war horses, fast and well-trained, and quickly surged past the checkpoint in pursuit.

Four soldiers immediately dismounted behind them and quickly moved aside the barrier serving as the checkpoint. The cavalry behind rapidly caught up with Zhao Erlang and the others, and soon they had surrounded those trying to flee in all directions with shouts.

Now those surrounded—whether merchants, bailiffs, or soldiers—were all mixed together, faces full of panic and fear as they looked at them.

Some had thrown away their goods, while others desperately clutched their belongings, curling up on the ground but still unwilling to release what they held.

Seeing this, Zhao Erlang was displeased and shouted, “Why are you running? Didn’t you see we’re carrying the banners of Yu Province and the Zhao Family Army? Speak—what are you doing here?”

Qiu Wu coughed lightly. “Erlang, these people are clearly merchants. We should ask why they’re gathered here. Or wait for the Young Lady to come up and ask.”

Zhao Hanzhang came up, followed by the vast procession of refugees.

Only then did the bailiffs and soldiers kneeling on the ground react. They quickly crawled forward on their knees to pay respects. “We greet the general. Which general of the Zhao Family Army might you be?”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “Why don’t you raise your head and look?”

The lead bailiff raised his head to glance at Zhao Hanzhang, then immediately lowered it again, kowtowing repeatedly. “This humble one did not know the Governor had arrived and failed to welcome you from afar. This is this humble one’s fault. I’ll return immediately to inform the county magistrate so he can come welcome the Governor.”

“No need.” Zhao Hanzhang asked, “I’ll go see your county magistrate myself. What I’m curious about is what exactly you’re doing here?”

Seeing her ask in a gentle manner, and having confirmed her identity—neither remnant Xiongnu in the territory nor bandits—the bailiff relaxed somewhat and answered honestly, “Following orders to apprehend bandits here and inspect incoming and outgoing goods.”

“If you’re apprehending bandits, then why did you run as soon as you saw me?” Zhao Hanzhang asked. “You didn’t even ask—how would you know I’m not a bandit?”

The bailiff quickly smiled ingratiatingly. “Everyone knows that Yu Province’s Zhao Family Army has only one female general. Young Lady, you clearly are a divine warrior—how could you be a bandit?”

Zhao Hanzhang snorted coldly and pointed her riding crop at someone kneeling beside a horse cart. “You speak. Why were you stopped here? Are you bandits?”

The person was startled and quickly denied it.

If they were identified as bandits, forget their goods—even their lives might be forfeit here. And if they died, it would be a meaningless death.

He said, “We were stopped here because they need to inventory our goods and collect passage fees and various commercial taxes.”

Zhao Hanzhang asked with interest, “What categories are there?”

The person cautiously raised his head to glance at Zhao Hanzhang. Seeing her smiling pleasantly without any hint of fierceness, he nonetheless felt his heart trembling for some reason, and his voice lowered. “Passage fees, commodity value tax, cart and horse tax, footwear tax…”

Zhao Hanzhang heard there was indeed a footwear tax, and even a mountain, forest, lake, and marsh tax—because they damaged the environment by passing through mountains, forests, lakes, and marshes.

Zhao Hanzhang couldn’t help but nod. These taxes were certainly comprehensive enough.

She smiled and asked, “Then why are you stuck here? I saw you all arguing earlier—what was that about?”

The person answered uneasily, “We, we heard Governor Zhao’s proclamation saying that anyone doing business in Yu Province at this time would have commercial taxes reduced by half upon entering Yu Province territory, with all other miscellaneous taxes eliminated. For grain and hemp cloth, commercial taxes would be completely waived. So, so that’s why we came.”

Zhao Hanzhang’s smile fell away. She leaned forward slightly, staring at the bailiff kneeling in front and asked, “Did you hear that? Did your county yamen receive this proclamation?”

The bailiff, who had just thought Zhao Hanzhang was gentle, broke out in sweat. Under the gaze of five hundred cavalry, he trembled, an invisible pressure beginning to weigh on him. Unable to bear it, he spoke, “This, this humble one is following orders and dares not act independently.”

Zhao Hanzhang asked coolly, “Whose orders?”

“The county, county magistrate…”

The bailiff’s voice grew quieter and quieter, his body approaching infinitely closer to the ground.

Zhao Hanzhang snorted coldly, raised her head to scan the entire scene, and said, “All bailiffs and soldiers from Xi’e County move to the left. Merchants move to the right. Those carrying grain or hemp cloth may pass directly. For other goods, aside from paying half the commercial tax, all other miscellaneous taxes need not be paid. Now, begin.”

Everyone froze, all secretly raising their heads to look at Zhao Hanzhang. Confirming she wasn’t joking, someone finally gathered courage and shakily stood up. Together with his son, they pulled two ox carts forward and smiled ingratiatingly at Zhao Hanzhang. “Governor, this is all grain.”

Zhao Hanzhang raised her chin slightly and said to the bailiffs still kneeling below, “Aren’t you going to inspect it?”

The bailiffs hadn’t expected her to have them do the inspection. They’d thought she would have the Zhao Family Army take over.

They quickly scrambled up to inspect. This time the speed was much faster—as long as they checked there was no contraband and it was indeed grain, they let it through.

Behind Zhao Hanzhang were over three thousand refugees. For the two ox carts to pass through them, the father and sons were quite nervous.

But although the refugees looked at them, they weren’t agitated. When they reached the rear, the father and sons also noticed the dozens of carts at the back of the column, clearly loaded with grain.

The father and sons breathed sighs of relief and immediately slapped the oxen’s rumps to make them move faster.

Seeing the first group pass through smoothly, everyone’s thoughts immediately became active. First those carrying shoulder poles, then those pulling ox carts and donkey carts. The larger merchant caravans fell to the rear.

Because they brought more diverse goods, aside from grain and hemp cloth which were completely tax-exempt, other goods were half-taxed.

But for them this was already a very significant discount, especially since they only collected commodity value tax—all other categories of taxation were not taken.

After busying themselves for half the day, the bailiffs and soldiers finally sent all the stopped merchant caravans through the checkpoint, then stood with lowered heads before Zhao Hanzhang awaiting reprimand.

But Zhao Hanzhang didn’t reprimand them. She mounted her horse and said, “Let’s go. Take me to see your county magistrate.”

Zhao Hanzhang carefully recalled and asked, “Your county magistrate is called Gao Cheng?”

The bailiff lowered his head, sweating. “Yes.”

Zhao Hanzhang nodded. “That’s quite a good name.” Though judging from what he was doing, he didn’t seem like a good person.